‘Top50’ Professional and Career Women Awards 2021

(1) Professional and Career Woman (Human Resources) 2021
Dinali Peiris, Director - Group Human Resources, MAS Holdings.
Director, MAS Capital (PVT) LTD.

(2) Professional and Career Woman (Banking and Finance) 2021
Keasila Jayawardana, Chairperson, National Savings Bank.

(3) Professional and Career Woman (Finance and Insurance) 2021
Dinali Katipearachchi, Vice President, Aitken Spence Finance (PVT) LTD.

(4) Professional and Career Woman (Marketing) 2021
Kavindra Rajapaksa, Vice President and Head of Marketing, Softlogic Life Insurance PLC.

(5) Professional and Career Woman (Legal) 2021
Ambika Satkunanathan, Human Rights Lawyer and Fellow, Open Society Foundation.

(6) Professional and Career Woman (Hospitality) 2021
Chandra Madanayake, Managing Director, FAB Foods (PVT) LTD.

(7) Professional and Career Woman (Print Media) 2021
Chandani Kirinde, Senior Journalist, Sunday Times and Daily FT, Wijeya Newspapers Limited.

(8) Corporate Leader of the Year 2021
Vidya Sivaraja, Managing Director, Fonterra Sri Lanka and India.

(9) Female Board Director of the Year 2021
Thushara Wijewardene, Non-Executive, Independent Director, Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC.

(10) Inspirational Professional Woman of the Year 2021
Dr. Maheshi Ramasamy, Principal Investigator, Oxford Vaccine Group. She currently leads on adult clinical vaccine trials including the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination. 

(11) Trailblazer of the Year 2021
Aruni Goonetilleke, Chairperson, Hatton National Bank PLC.

(12) Career Achievements (Aviation) 2021
Devika Ellepola, Sales Manager, Commercial Operations (Sri Lanka), Emirates Airline.

(13) Outstanding Female Entrepreneur 2021
Shea Wickremasinghe, Group Managing Director, Ceylon Biscuits Limited.

(14) Game Changer of the Year 2021
Randhula De Silva, Founder CEO, GLX (Good Life X).
It’s a blessing to be doing the work I am doing in Sri Lanka, making efforts to change the standard definition of innovation and development, enabling many others to make a conscious contribution to our society and economy. To be awarded as the Game Changer of the Year at WIM awards, is recognition of all efforts made to navigate uncharted waters in 2021 and how far the ripple effects of an unorthodox vision and consistent steps have come. This award is a great strength for me to encourage many more to fearlessly embrace change for better and be advocates of it. I'm honored to have been among the fifty amazing women and it’s an absolute joy to be running next to their boundless spirits. My wish for all awardees of this year, before me and after me, let us be the ones that brings out the best in everyone around us to co-create a tomorrow that's good at its very core.

(15) Career Achievements (Insurance) 2021
Summaiya Macan Markar, Chief Legal, Compliance and Privacy Officer, Allianz Insurance Lanka LTD.
It was indeed an amazing honor first to be nominated and then to be awarded a WIM Top50 Award for Career Achiever of the Year, it made all of the last 28 years of my working career seem complete, and all the hard work and sacrifices over the years worthwhile. To be recognized is in itself rewarding and when I see all the other award winners who have achieved success it shows that all dreams we have as little kids can, and in fact do become a reality. As a Daughter, Mother and Wife, balancing our multiple roles is not easy and all of us women will continue to struggle at most times to decide as to where our careers fit into, in this circle of life. An award such as this has made me look back and appreciate my multiple roles even more especially the long career, I had in working across multiple Banks and more recently Insurance, the faith and trust my workplaces had in me and giving me the career opportunities. One thing I learnt is always when an opportunity knocks, don't think twice, go by your heart and grab it with both hands, it may not come again and this philosophy has served me well. I want to Thank WIM, IFC and Australia Aid for continuing to have this for the 11th year and giving opportunities for all women of different professions, careers and fields the chance to be recognized and appreciated. To the Judges a big Thank You for having faith and trust in bestowing the award in my hands, I do hope this will inspire all other women in the workforce to work hard, to do the right thing and to go with their instinct; success and reward will reach one at some point, it took me 28 years, but it was worth it and it means so much to have got this award!!
 

Fazeela Dharmaratne
Director, CeeBees Pre School and Child Care Centre
Being nominated for a Top50 award, let alone winning it is such an honor and privilege. I was in complete awe watching the proceedings and listening to the incredible stories behind each recipient’s accomplishments. These inspirational stories moved me and made me feel humbled to be part of the elite circle. To have listened to the judges on the level of quality, objectivity and analysis applied for selection is testimonial to the sheer hard work, smart work and effort by the inspirational ladies who were awarded today. What means the most to me is that this award has created a platform and have opened my eyes to the journey ahead. The journey ahead of my own business development as well as how I can make an impact on a much wider audience in the role of a mentor, a consultant or even a counsellor and help women to work towards making their entrepreneur dreams a reality amidst many challenges one would need to face. In my journey, I always had a motto that I focused on. It is this mindset I believe earned me this honor today. "One need not be perfect, but one can always strive towards perfection," the journey then will always move onward and upward.

Waruni Algama
Senior General Manager, User Experience Design and Digital Channel Adoption, Dialog Axiata PLC.

I was surprised and thrilled to hear that I was awarded the WIM member of the year 2021. I am truly privileged and humbled to receive this prestigious award at the 11th WIM Top50 Professional and Career Awards held at Shangri-la Colombo on the 18th of January 2022.  I want to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt gratitude to WIM Chairperson Dr. Sulochana Segera for accepting my application in the year 2018 as an ordinary member to the Women in Management Team. The warm welcome, grooming, motivation and the trust which was placed in me helped me to achieve this award within a short period of time. I am also grateful to my fellow WIM members for the unstinted support extended to me as a WIM member and I pledge myself to live the values of WIM in all future endeavors too.